Self-filling, hand-operated atomizer or spraying device



N. C. INGELL Oct. 13, 1953 SELF-FILLING, HAND-OPERATED. ATOMIZER ORSPRAYING DEVICE Filed Sept. 25, 1952 INVENTOR M5250 (472/11/ l/VGELLawn? ATTORNE Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELFFILLING, HAND OPERATED ATOMIZER 0R SPRAYING DEVICE Nelson Catlin Ingell,Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 25, 1952, Serial No. 311,357

I 8 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in atomizers or spraying devices ofthe hand-operated type in which a current of air is forced across theend of a spray nozzle through which liquid is discharged and atomized.

Atomizers of this general type now in use comprise a container for theliquid to be sprayed and an air pump for forcing a current of air acrossthe end of a nozzle connected into the liquid container. Such devicesrequire the use of both hands of the operator. Furthermore, thecontainer for the liquid must be provided with an opening, usuallycovered with a screw cap, by which liquid is poured into the containerfrom a bottle or other supply. Spilling and waste of the liquid is acommon result in handling such spraying devices or atomizers. This hasresulted in recent years in wide spread. use of aerosol pressure filledspray containers which are non-refillable and expensive.

The primary object of my invention is, therefore, to provide aninexpensive, hand-operated, self-filling atomizer or spraying device,which avoids the difliculties referred to above and which may beoperated effectively by one hand.

A further object of my invention is to provide an atomizer or sprayingdevice suitable for spraying liquids of any kind such as roomdeodorizers, insecticides, moth proofing compositions, detergents,coating compositions such as paints, lacquers and plastic solutions, orany other sprayable fluid mixture.

In accordance with my invention, I have discovered that a hand-operatedatomizer or spraying device may be made in such a way that it isself-filling with the liquid to be sprayed and which is operable withone hand of the operator, thereby leaving the operators other hand freeto move or hold garden plants, flowers or other articles while they arebeing sprayed,

According to my invention, the improved atomizer comprises spaced outerand inner flexible self-distensible rubber bulbs, the inner bulb beinglocated entirely inside the outer bulb and adapted to contain the liquidto be sprayed, while the outer bulb is adapted when compressed to supplyair for atomizing the liquid in the inner bulb. In this construction,the neck of the outer bulb is provided with a connection including anair inlet and valve for admitting air to the outer bulb, an air tube fordelivering air across a nozzle through which liquid is delivered bymeans of a. spray tube connected into the inner bulb. The inner bulbincludes a further connection provided with a liquid supply valve,normally spring biased to closed position, but operable upon beingdipped in a body of liquid and operated by an exterior means, foradmitting the liquid into the inner bulb when the latter expands from acollapsed condition. In this construction, the liquid-de- 2 liveringtube or the nozzle connected therewith is provided with a check valvefor preventing the admission of air to the inner bulb.

In the operation of this atomizer, the squeezing of the outer bulb byone hand of the operator compresses the air therein and thereby appliespressure to the outer surface of the inner bulb and to the liquid in theinner bulb forcing the liquid out through the liquid delivery nozzle,air being simultaneously forced across the end of the nozzle from theair delivery tube connected into the outer bulb. In the course of aspraying operation, the release of the outer bulb for the admission ofair through the air valve inlet does not serve to release the inner bulbbecause of the valve closures referred to. Consequently, the inner bulbis continuously compressed and collapsed as hand pressure isintermittently applied to the outer bulb until all or substantially allof the liquid therein has been delivered to the spray nozzle.

In a preferred form of construction the outer flexible rubber bulb has aneck portion carrying a head structure including male and femalecouplings, the female coupling, for example, being mounted in fixedposition in or on the neck portion and including an internally threadedor other type of coupling means, this female couling being open at itsouter end and provided at its inner end with a bottom plate providedwith perforations or holes and having a tube rigidly mounted axiallytherein. The inner flexible rubber bulb has a neck portion secured tothe inner end of said metal tube below the bottom plate. The malecoupling is fitted in the female coupling in a. fluid-tight manner andprovided with a valved air inlet for the supply of air to the outerflexible bulb through the perforations. A second tube is carried by themale coupling having a fluid-tight removable connection with the tubecarried by the female coupling, the outer end of this tube beingprovided with a valve having a spring biased closure means through whichliquid is supplied to the inner bulb. A spray tube is connected into theliquid supply tube and terminates in a check valve and spray nozzle,while the air tube is carried by the male coupling and connects throughthe perforations with the outer bulb, the air tube terminating in an airdelivery nozzle arranged to deliver a current of air across the end ofthe liquid spray nozzle.

When the atomizer is provided with the couling members referred toabove, the male coupling and the spray tubes carried thereby may besubstituted for a similar attachment having either longer or shorterspray tubes adapted for a particular use. For example, long spray tubesare advantageous in the spraying of relatively large plants where thetubes may be thrust between the branches and leaves of the plant to makesure of thorough coverage. A spray connection with long tubes has otheruses such as delivering spraying fluid among clothes hanging in a,closet or in a clothes bag.

Other features, objects and advantages of the improved atomizer or spraydevice of my invention are described hereinafter in greater detail inconnection with the accompanying drawings:

forming a part of my application.

In the drawings: r V

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partly in vertical section showing apreferred form of atomizer constructed in accordance with my invention;and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, my improved atomizer comprises an outerflexible rubber bulb l and an inner flexible rubber bulb [2 of smallersize than the outer bulb and adapted to contain the liquid [4 to besprayed or atomized by the device. The bulbs 18 and 12 are of a knowntype commonly used on syringes and similar devices and are normallyself-distending when collapsed.

The bulb l8 includes a neck portion [6 in which is secured, byvulcanizing or cementing or otherwise, a female coupling [8 having anopen top and a bottom plate 20 provided with holes or perforations 22. Ashort tube 24 is axially mounted in fixed position in the plate 20 andextends both above and below this plate, the lower extension beingconnected into the neck portion 26 of the bulb l2 and secured thereto.

The female coupling [8 is adapted to receive a male coupling 28illustrated as connected to the female coupling by a threaded connectionand sealed with respect thereto by a rubber gasket 38. The male couplingis open at the bottom and is closed at the top by a plate 32 providedwith an air inlet connection including a check valve 34 for theadmission of air into the outer bulb Hi,

this valve being arranged to prevent discharge of air when the bulb I0is being collapsed. The plate 32 carries an axially extending tube 36fixed in the plate and extending into the coupling 28 to a point a shortdistance from the upper end of the tube 24, the tube 26 being providedwith a piece of rubber tubing 38 fastened thereto and having a portionadapted to extend over the upper end of the tube 24 in fluid-tightrelation therewith when the couplings are in the positions shown in Fig.1.

The tube 36 includes a portion 48 which ex- 4 tends laterally withrespect to the portion 38, but which may extend in any convenientdirection,

to provide a liquid supply tube for the inner bulb I2. The tube portion40 carries a valve 42 at its outer end having a closure means 44 biasedto closed position by a compressionspring 46, the closure means 44 beingattached to a projecting plunger 48.

The liquid M to be sprayed is delivered through the tubes 24 and 36 intoa spray tube 50 connected into the tube 36 and extending generallyaxially with respect to the bulbs and the couplings although it mayextend in any direction. The tube 58 terminates in a liquid deliverynozzle 52 through which liquid is delivered from the bulb 12am isprovided with a non-return check valve 54 which may include a metal ball56 adapted to prevent the entry of air into the tube 50. The valve 54 isarranged so that the ball 56 will be lifted by water pressure in thetube 58 and bulb l2 and will not prevent flow to the delivery nozzle 52.

Air for atomizing the liquid delivered through the nozzle 52 is suppliedthrough an air tube 58, parallel to tube 58, connected through and fixedto the plate 32 of the male coupling in fluid-tight relation. The airtube 58 terminates in a nozzle 60. arranged in the position shown, forforcing a current of air across the end of the nozzle 52. The tubes 50and 58 are held in fixed position with respect to each other at theirouter ends by means of a clamping bracket 62, thereby insuring properdelivery of the air stream from the nozzle across the open end of thenozzle 52. The nozzle portion 68 of the air tube 58 is provided with aneedle valve 64 for regulating the air stream used in atomizing theliquid delivered through the nozzle 52. Liquids which are relativelymore fluid than others may be suitably atomized by the use of a smallerstream of air than is necessary for more viscous liquids.

In operating the atomizer or spraying device shown in the drawings anddescribed above, the liquid to be atomized and contained in a bottle orother container is supplied to chamber [2 by compressing the outer bulb10 to in turn compress the inner bulb [2 until it is collapsed, therebydriving out all of the air in the bulb [2, as.

suming that it contained no liquid and was distended. In this condition,the valves 42 and 54 maintain the bulb l2 in collapsed condition, thespring 46 having sufiicient strength to keep the closure 44 in closedposition, even though the bulb I2 is completely collapsed. Now theoperator with the bulb iii in his hand inserts the tube 48 and the valve42 into the liquid in the bottle or container at the same time engagingthe plunger 48 against the wall of the container so as to open the valve42 and permit the liquid to flow into the bulb 12 as it distends to thefilled condition shown in Fig. 1, the liquid being sucked through thevalve 42 and tubes 40, 38 and 24 into the bulb l2. During the filling ofthe bulb R2, the air replaced in the bulb I0 escapes freely through thenozzle 60. r 1

Now on the application of hand. pressure to the air bulb [0, the airinlet valve 34 closes and the air in bulb I0 is placed under pressure,thereby applying a pressure to the bulbl2 and the liquid therein forcingthe liquid through the nozzle 52. At the same time, air is forced underpressure through the air tube 58 and the nozzle 60 to atomize the liquiddelivered through the nozzle 52. In this operation the bulb i8 isalternately compressed and allowed to distend. When the bulb I2 is emptyit remains collapsed and may be quickly refilled in the manner describedabove.

While the atomizer or spray device of the present invention has beendescribed and illustrated in connection with the preferred embodi mentshown in the drawings, it is to be understood that the device may bemade without the removable head comprising coupling members l8 and 28 byproviding a neck member which will include the proper tubes orpassageways for the plingwith long spray tubes, may be desirable for iother spraying operations. The spray tubes may extend in the directionillustrated in the drawings or at any desired angle, while the fillingtube 40 may extend axially with respect to the coupling 28. It is alsoto be understood that the male coupling may be fixed to the neck of bulbwhile the female coupling is included in the removable part of the headstructure.

The relative sizes of the flexible rubber bulbs l0 and I2, as shown inFig. 1, may vary considerably from that shown in the drawings. In anycase, there must be sufiicient air space in the bulb Ill outside thebulb [2 to supply the required stream of air at the nozzle 60, it beingdesirable that the pressure applied to the bulb l2 results from the airpressure produced in the bulb [0. The bulbs may be of rubber or of othersimilar acting materials capable of the functions described for thebulbs l0 and I2.

The couplings l8 and 28 and the tubes 24, 3B, 40, 59 and 58 arepreferably made of metal, but may be made of other suitable materials.

What I claim is:

1. In an atomizer of the type including a nozzle for the delivery of theliquid to be atomized and an air delivery nozzle for forcing a currentof air across the end of the liquid delivery nozzle, spaced outer andinner flexible self-distensible bulbs, the inner bulb being locatedentirely inside the outer bulb and adapted to contain the liquid to beatomized, means including an air inlet check valve for admitting air tothe outer bulb, an air tube for delivering air from the outer bulb tothe air delivery nozzle, a tube having a non-return valve therein forconducting liquid from the inner bulb to the liquid delivery nozzle, afilling tube connected into the inner bulb for delivering liquidthereto, a filling valve in said filling tube biased to closed posi tionfor preventing discharge of liquid from the inlet of the filling tube,and means for actuating the valve in the filling tube for admittingliquid thereto.

2. An atomizer as claimed in claim 1 in which said filling valve islocated at the inlet end of the filling tube and said actuating meanscomprises an projection adapted to engage the wall of a container forliquid to be delivered through the filling tube.

3. In an atomizer of the type including a liquid delivery nozzle and anair delivery nozzle arranged for forcing a current of air across the endof the liquid delivery nozzle for atomizing the liquid deliveredtherethrough, spaced outer and inner flexible self-distensible bulbs,the inner bulb being located inside the outer bulb and adapted tocontain the liquid to be atomized, the outer bulb being hand-operableand including a neck portion, a female coupling fixed in the neckportion, a male coupling removably engaging in the female coupling in afluid-tight manner, means including a check valve carried by the malecoupling for supplying air to the outer bulb, an air tube connected intothe male coupling for delivering air from the outer bulb to the airdelivery nozzle, a tubular connection carried by the female coupling andconnected into the inner bulb, a liquid delivery tube carried by themale coupling having a removable fluid-tight connection with saidtubular connection leading to the inner bulb and having a connection tothe liquid delivery nozzle, whereby the application of hand pressure tothe outer bulb compresses the air around the outer surface of the innerbulb thereby forcing liquid therefrom to the liquid delivery nozzle andat the same time forces a current of air from the outer bulb through theair tube and across the end of the liquid delivery nozzle.

4. An atomizer as claimed in claim 3 in which the female couplingincludes a perforated plate at its lower end, said tubular connectionbeing fixed axially in said plate and including a portion extendingabove the plate.

5. An atomizer as claimed in claim 3, including a filling tube forliquid carried by the male coupling and connected into said tubularconnection.

6. In an atomizer of the type including a liquid delivery nozzle and anair delivery nozzle arranged for forcing a current of air across the endof the liquid delivery nozzle for atomizing the liquid deliveredtherethrough, spaced outer and inner flexible self-distensible bulbs,the inner bulb being located inside the outer bulb and adapted tocontain the liquid to be atomized, the outer bulb being hand-operableand including a neck portion, a head structure attached to said neckportion including a pair of separable coupling members one of which isfixed to said neck portion, means including a check valve carried by theother coupling member for supplying air to the outer bulb, an air tubeconnected into said other coupling member for delivering air from theouter bulb to the air delivery nozzle. a tubular connection carried bythe coupling member fixed to said neck portion and connected into theinner bulb, a liquid delivery tube carried by said other coupling memberhaving a removable fluid-tight connection with said tubular connectionleading to the inner bulb and having a connection to the liquid deliverynozzle, whereby the application of hand pressure to the outer bulbcompresses the air around the outer surface of the inner bulb therebyforcing liquid therefrom to the liquid delivery nozzle and at the sametime forces a current of air from the outer bulb through the airdelivery nozzle and across the end of the liquid delivery nozzle.

7. An atomizer as claimed in claim 6, including a filling tube forliquid carried by the removable coupling of the head structure andconnected into said tubular connection.

8. An atomizer as claimed in claim 7, including a non-return valve insaid liquid delivery tube, a valve in said filling tube having a closuremeans biased to prevent discharge of liquid, and an actuating means forsaid closure means for moving said closure means to open position toadmit liquid to the filling tube and the inner bulb, the valves in theliquid delivery and filling tubes cooperating to prevent admission ofair to said inner bulb, whereby said inner bulb is prevented fromdistending during an atomizing operation when'the outer bulb distends.

" NELSON CA'ILIN INGELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,862,636 Rodgers June 14, 1932 2,120,297 Reinecke June 14,1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 395,994 Great Britain July 27,1933 658,036 France Jan. 22, 1929

